Control for flying model airplanes



June 24, 1952 D. F. M ARTHUR ET AL CONTROL FOR FLYING MODEL AIRELANESFiled Oct. 14, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 lmlentom Dona/0' F. McAr/hurWillard J. Goenz June 24, 1952 D. F. MOARTHUR r AL 2,601,409

CONTROL FOR FLYING MODEL AIRPLANES Filed 001;. 14, 1948 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2Inventors Donald F. McArrhur Willard J. Goa/f2 WW EM Patented June 24,1952 CONTROL FOR FLYING MODEL AIRPLANES Donald F. McArthur and WillardJ. Goert'z, Wichita, Kans.; said McArthur assignor to said GoertzApplication October 14, 1948, Serial No. 54,522

3 Claims. (01. 242-437) This invention relates to novel and usefulimprovements in devices for use in conjunction with controlling the pathof flight of a flying model aircraft.

An object of this invention is to support on a common base a pair ofreels which are drivingly interconnected with each other, whereby uponrotation of one reel, the other rotates in the opposite direction forpaying out or taking in line.

Another object of this invention is to detachably support the reel,whereby a simple maneuver of a spring allows one of the reels to becomedisengaged with relation to the other, thereby regulating the length ofone line with respect to the length of the other may be accomplished.

Another purpose of this invention is to apply a positive lockingmechanism on one reel, cooperative with the base supporting both of thereels.

Another purpose of this invention is toprovide an extremely practicaldevice of the character to be described which includes and incorporatesvarious structural features of importance such as the cam type lockingmechanism for the reels, the single spring for each reel serving thedual purpose of retaining the reel on the base and also for guiding theline as it is being payed out and in, and others.

Ancillary objects and features of novelty will become apparent to thoseskilled in the art, in following the description of the preferred formof the invention, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figurel is a perspective view of the preferred form of the invention;

, Figure 2 is an elevational side view of the device;

Figure 3 is a front View of the device shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a plan View of the device shown in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 ofFigure 2 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6--6 ofFigure 4 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the lockingmechanism, and;

Figure 8 is an enlarged perspective view showing a sleeve with a cam atone end thereof, forming a portion of the locking mechanism.

There are several types of control mechanisms known in the art.Illustrative of a device of this nature is the subject matter of PatentNo. 2,4065%. This patent features the utility of a double reel typedevice capable of winding and unwinding one line with respect totheother, thereby lengthening or shortening the lines. The present devicedeals with similar subject matter. A base 10 is provided with a handopening l2 at one end thereof and has suitable handle portion l4associated therewith. This base has bent portions I6 and [8 respectivelyprovided therein, the slots 20 being supplied thereadjacent. Shafts 22and 24 respectively extend from the raised portions substantiallyperpendicular to the plane of the base l0. These, shafts accommodategears 26 and 28 respectively for rotation.

The gears 26 and 28 are rigidly attached to the hubs of the reels 30 and32, by any suitable means such asthe locking pin 34. The said gears andtheir associated reels are simply slid axially on the shafts 24 and 22,the gears projecting slightly through the central slot 30 in order thatthey are in mesh with each other. 7

It is apparent that upon rotation of one of the reels, the other will berotated in the opposite direction. In the operation of the device, thissituation and condition occurs.

A line 33 is attached to the reel 39 and maybe of any conventionalmaterial such as wire, as is now used extensively in the art. A secondidentical wire or line 39 is attached to the other reel. Both of thelines have safety pin type locking mechanism 40 at their free ends inorder to attach to the conventional control cables, connecting with thecontrol surfaces of a model aircraft. The conventional control bycontrol surfaces of the aircraft is well known and need not be discussedherein.

Flanges 44 and 46 respectively extend at substantially right angles tothe plane of the base I 0 and have slots 48 and 50 respectively therein.The control lines 38 and 39 extend through the slots 48 and 50 and areguided thereby. The ends of the slots adjacent the center line of thebase [0 are tapered slightly, as is seen at 52 in order that the linemay be guided smoothly under operative conditions.

Attention is directed now primarily to Figure 7 wherein a plate 5% isshown as being attached by rivets 58 or the like to the reel 32.Disposed in an aperture (unnumbered) in the plate 56 is a sleeve Bilwhich has a bore 62 and a counter bore 54 therein. A pin 63 isslidablein the bore and through the counter bore. The pin 66 has a button 68 atthe end thereof which is rigidly attached to the pin 66 by any suitablemeans.

A cam follower Hi formed by a pin extends at right angles from the sideof the axially slidable pin 66 and is in operative engagement with a cami2 formed at the end of the sleeve. Noting Figure 8 it will be seen thata recess M is supplied at the apex or highest point of the cam in orderto accommodate the pin. When the cam follower is rotated to such aposition that it rests in the recess M, the pin 93 will be retained in alocked position.

Constantly biasing the pin and the button 68 toward the base It is aspring 18 or other suitable resilient biasing means. This spring reactson the sleeve 69 and also on a collar 80 formed on the pin 65.

It is readily appreciated that the pin is slidable through a bore(unnumbered) formed in the reel 32 and in a selected one of the numberof apertures or openings, each of which is indicated at 82. The openingbeing in the base [0, it is now readily apparent that the pin willprevent rotation of the reel 32, when it is in one of the openings 82.The reels being drivingly connected to each other by the gear meansdescribed, rotation in both reels will be simultaneously halted uponapplication of the described locking means. In order to facilitatewinding and unwinding a smoothly contoured outer sleeve 86 is rotatablydisposed on the exterior surface of the sleeve 6|] and has a matchingcurvature of the button 68 to conform to.

Fixed to the flanges 44 and 46 are a pair of leaf springs 88 and 99respectively. They have upturned portions 92 at the ends thereof forfinger gripping purposes and engage the wound wire or line for twopurposes. The first purpose is to guide the line as it is being playedin or played out and the second purpose is to retain the reels 39 and 32in operative position, so that the gears 26 and 28 are in mesh. When itis desired to utilize only one reel as when paying in or paying out oneline to lengthen or shorten the same for line adjustment, thepre-selected spring is lifted andrthe desired reel simply slid axiallyof its pertinent shaft slightly until the gears are out of contact.Then, the spring is permitted to fall below the outer periphery of thereel by its inherent resiliency, thereby preventing the reel from movinginwardly so that the gears will again become in engagement. The reverseoperation takes place in fully assembling the device so that the gearsare again enmeshed. Accordingly, it is possible to coordinate the devicewith v the control surfaces of a model aircraft so that both theaircraft and the device are in proper position while the aircraft is inflight.

In order that the line will not inadvertently become unwound on thereel, a pair of pins 95 and 93 respectively are fixed to the base I andare disposed adjacent each reel. The said pins have reduced centerportions in order to allow for maximum movement of the line toward andaway from the reel, yet prevent the same from jumping the reel.

While there has been described and illustrated but a preferred form ofthe invention, it is apparent that variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit thereof.

Having described the invention, what claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a control device for a tethered attachment, a base having a numberof apertures, a reel mounted on each side of said base, a slidable pincarried by one of said reels and disposed in one Of said apertures toprevent rotation of one of said reels, means supported by said base fordrivingly connecting said reels including shafts secured to said base, agear on each of said reels, the gears being enmeshed, and said reelsmounted for rotation on said shafts.

2. In a control device for a tethered attachment, a base having a numberof apertures, a reel mounted on each side of said base, acontrol memberattached to each reel, a slidable pin carried by one of said reels anddisposed in one of said apertures to prevent rotation of one of saidreels, means supported by said base for drivingly connecting said reelsincluding shafts secured to said base, a gear on each of said reels, thegears -being enmeshed, and said reels mounted for rotation on saidshafts, springs carried by said base and engaging said control member onthe reels for guiding the control member and for retaining the reels onsaid shafts;

3. A control device for a tethered attachment comprising, a base havingan opening therein,

shafts extending from each side of said base, reels having gearsthereon, said reels slidably disposed on said shafts and said gearsbeing enmeshed with each other, means for actuating said reels, andresilient means attached to said base operatively engaging each of saidreels for retaining said reels on said base and for guiding a line whenit is being played in and played out from said 'reels.

DONALD F. MCARTHUR. WILLARD J. GOERTZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 673,788 Merritt May 7, 1901975,811 Walsh Nov. 15, 1910 2,406,874 Walker Sept. 3, 1946 2,438,188Thrower Mar. 23, 1948 2,536,875 Dalrymple Jan. 2, 1951

